Homestead Collective Recipe Archive
http://www.homesteadcollective.org/hcra/
Homestead Basic Potato Soup
8 cups diced potatoes (1/2"x1/2" to 3/4"x3/4" pieces)- about 3-4 large potatoes
1 1/2 cup sliced celery (thin)- about 4 ribs
1 1/2 cup sliced carrots
4 cups Julienne sliced white onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock
4 Tbsp butter
6 pieces smoked bacon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 pint half-and-half
3 bay leaves
4 Tbsp cornstarch
Seasoning mix:
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground green pepper
Combine and grind to a powder in a coffee grinder.
1. Dice potatoes; slice onions, celery, carrots; mince garlic.
2. Prepare seasoning mix.
3. Prepare chicken stock, if making from bullion.
4. Wet the bottom of the stockpot with olive oil and sauté onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
Meanwhile
4a. Cook bacon, drain, and crumble. Reserve bacon grease.
5. When onions are done, add potatoes, celery, and carrots to stockpot and add 8 cups of water. Add 4 Tbsp of butter. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bacon grease when the potatoes are about halfway done.
6. When potatoes are tender, add seasoning mix, bacon, chicken stock, 1 pint half-and-half, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, and three bay leaves. Cook together, covered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
7. To thicken, dissolve 4 Tbsp cornstarch in 1/2 cup cold water and remove stockpot from heat. Add cornstarch solution slowly to the soup while stirring vigorously.
Remove bay leaves before serving.
Makes about 5 quarts.
This recipe was added: 6 January 2004